During this observation, focus on how class begins. Where is your CT before class begins? What is he or she doing? How and when does your CT establish order and begin class? How is homework from the previous night reviewed/collected/assessed? How does your CT engage students during the opening of the lesson?
Observations:
Ms. Derix walks around the class as students enter asking them to hand in their homework. The students generally sit down and discuss the agenda on the board and finish between class discussions from the hallway. Ms. Derix checks in with students as she walks around, asking after missing assignments, or their book/notebook for this class. Before class is brought to order she checks the hallway for tardy students and shuts the door to keep out the noise from another class that will be working in the halls today. She walks back in and prepares the students for the assignment today by asking for them to get out their notebooks, open a new page and set it up. At the students ask a few questions about the homework and otehr things but she gets them back on task by reviewing the agenda on the board. She then goes over the homework with the class (a fill in the blank worksheet) by reading the paragrapgh out loud and letting the students respond en masse to the blanks. Before she continues to read she says the correct answer to reinforce it. As she goes along she asks a few questions of the class to gather how much they have understood and keep them focused on the task. The only differences was in one class where she had to re-assign some late work to students who had yet to complete it, or to check if a student was dismissed and thats why they were not in the class. By the last class of the day she was also walking around less but was still asking questions and checking with students as they walked past her (sitting on the side center of the room, where most students walk by to reach their seats).
Reflections:
I thought that she had a great way of gaining the students attention with her presence throughout the room as she walked around at the start and while she read out loud to the class. This meant that any student was no further than six feet from her every few minutes, so was less likely to stray from the task. It also meant that she was avalable to the students for questions and such as they got settled in so she could spearhead any questions that may have arisen. I also like how much class participation she asks for, especially as she reviews the material from the last class and homework. This allows the students to show their own knowledge and gives her an opportunity to discover any misdirection they have over concepts. It is much louder in some classes than others but the loud classes generally have more participation and on task behavior as well as far as I have noticed. I hope to be able to engage students as quickly as she does while also probing their knowledge to find out where I stand. She is able to abadpt and question students so that they get a clearer understanding as well which I will try to do as well.
Class Topic: Photosynthesis
Grade: 6
Observed by: Mary Ackerman
Observations:
Ms. Derix walks around the class as students enter asking them to hand in their homework. The students generally sit down and discuss the agenda on the board and finish between class discussions from the hallway. Ms. Derix checks in with students as she walks around, asking after missing assignments, or their book/notebook for this class. Before class is brought to order she checks the hallway for tardy students and shuts the door to keep out the noise from another class that will be working in the halls today. She walks back in and prepares the students for the assignment today by asking for them to get out their notebooks, open a new page and set it up. At the students ask a few questions about the homework and otehr things but she gets them back on task by reviewing the agenda on the board. She then goes over the homework with the class (a fill in the blank worksheet) by reading the paragrapgh out loud and letting the students respond en masse to the blanks. Before she continues to read she says the correct answer to reinforce it. As she goes along she asks a few questions of the class to gather how much they have understood and keep them focused on the task. The only differences was in one class where she had to re-assign some late work to students who had yet to complete it, or to check if a student was dismissed and thats why they were not in the class. By the last class of the day she was also walking around less but was still asking questions and checking with students as they walked past her (sitting on the side center of the room, where most students walk by to reach their seats).Reflections:
I thought that she had a great way of gaining the students attention with her presence throughout the room as she walked around at the start and while she read out loud to the class. This meant that any student was no further than six feet from her every few minutes, so was less likely to stray from the task. It also meant that she was avalable to the students for questions and such as they got settled in so she could spearhead any questions that may have arisen. I also like how much class participation she asks for, especially as she reviews the material from the last class and homework. This allows the students to show their own knowledge and gives her an opportunity to discover any misdirection they have over concepts. It is much louder in some classes than others but the loud classes generally have more participation and on task behavior as well as far as I have noticed. I hope to be able to engage students as quickly as she does while also probing their knowledge to find out where I stand. She is able to abadpt and question students so that they get a clearer understanding as well which I will try to do as well.Class Topic: Photosynthesis
Grade: 6
Observed by: Mary Ackerman